From the Guardian · · 3m
Bomb hoaxes disrupt 25 flights across Europe
Coordinated threats force emergency landings and diversions across 16 countries, raising questions about hybrid warfare tactics.
In brief
Coordinated threats force emergency landings and diversions across 16 countries, raising questions about hybrid warfare tactics. Hoax bomb threats disrupted at least twenty five flights across Europe on Thursday, with all planes landing safely but investigators finding no evidence of orchestration by hostile state…
At least 25 flights disrupted
Hoax bomb threats forced at least twenty five flights across Europe to be disrupted on Thursday, with some making emergency landings. All planes landed safely and searches found nothing suspicious.
Threats span 16 countries
The warnings affected flights between Italy, Ireland, the UK, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Greece, Serbia and Czechia.
Ten airlines targeted
The threats affected flights by Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair, easyJet, Aegean Airlines, Iberia, Sky Express, Air Serbia and LOT Polish Airlines.
UK airports received threats
Heathrow and Birmingham airport received threats overnight. The Metropolitan police's aviation police command determined they were hoaxes. Four aircraft departing from or arriving at Heathrow were threatened.
Pattern of threats this week
Similar threats on Tuesday caused seven planes to be searched or diverted. On Monday a flight from the UK to Bulgaria was diverted. In total at least thirty three flights have been affected this week.
No evidence of state involvement
Investigators said there remained no evidence the hoaxes were orchestrated by a hostile terror group or state actor such as Russia or Iran, although inquiries across Europe continue.
Threats signed by Male State
Bomb threats emailed to airports in Rome and Sofia were signed fighters of the Male State, a Russian far-right ultranationalist movement founded in two thousand sixteen by Vladislav Pozdnyakov.
The threat message
The emails reportedly read: We, the fighters of the Male State, will make history with our actions today. Your feminist regime will remember this for ever. The explosion will occur in sixty minutes.
“We, the fighters of the Male State, will make history with our actions today. Your feminist regime will remember this for ever.”
Tiny fraction of daily flights
The affected flights had knock-on effects but were a tiny fraction of the twenty seven thousand four hundred flights scheduled in Europe on Thursday, according to Eurocontrol.
Under-threshold warfare theory
Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto said: It's called under-threshold warfare because it's below the attribution threshold. It's done that way on purpose, so no one can pin the blame.
“It's called 'under-threshold warfare' because it's below the attribution threshold. It's done that way on purpose, so no one can pin the blame.”
Hoaxes point to coordination
Aviation experts say fake threats occur daily but such a number of credible threats, even if malicious hoaxes, appears to point to coordinated action designed to disrupt travel and weaken security responses.
What to remember
Hoax bomb threats disrupted at least twenty five flights across Europe on Thursday, with all planes landing safely but investigators finding no evidence of orchestration by hostile state actors.
